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| No more money for aid, says Duterte in his late-night address |
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ruled out extending
the lockdown in Metro Manila and neighboring areas, saying people need to work
as the government has run out of money for financial aid.
Duterte made the announcement in a taped address aired on
national TV aired late on Monday night.
His statement came as the Department of Health recorded a
new daily high of 6,958 new Covid-19
cases, which raised the country’s total tally to 136,638.
Minus the total recoveries of 68,159 and the death toll of
2,293, the number of active cases, or patients still undergoing treatment, is
66,186.
Much as he himself would like to extend the stricter
lockdown due to the continuing surge in cases, Duterte said he couldn’t because
many people would want to go back to work.
“I’m between the devil and the deep blue sea,” he said,
meaning, he was caught in-between addressing the country’s serious health
concerns over the pandemic, and ensuring the economy recovered from its first
recession in 39 years.
The currently enforced enhanced community quarantine is due
to expire on Aug 18.
“If I order another lockdown, the money given by Congress
has been spent to give you aid. I no longer have that. You’re on your own,
that’s true. You have to get out and work so you can eat,” said Duterte.
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| The country hit a new daily high of nearly 7k cases yesterday (CNN PHL graphics) |
Previously, Congress passed the Bayanihan to Heal as One
Act, which provided cash assistance to some 18 million low-income families for
two months.
Duterte asked lawmakers in his recent State of the Nation
Address to approve the second part of the Bayanihan act so he will have
additional funds to help needy Filipinos ride out the worsening crisis, but has
yet to receive a response.
In his message, Duterte also warned about using the military
to enforce the stricter quarantine measures if people continued disregarding
health protocols.
Meanwhile, Secretary Risa Hontiveros has called on the
government to enforce a “health-heavy” response to the pandemic in the wake of
record infections.
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| Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love |
“Hitting nearly 7,000 Covid-19 cases in one day should serve
as a wake-up call to the government. Maliwanag na hindi nako-contain ang
pandemya at hindi bumabagal ang transmission ng virus,” she said in a
statement.
(It’s clear that the pandemic is not being contained and the
rate of transmission of the virus is not slowing down).
Hontiveros suggested that testing be made available in
high-risk and hotspot areas, more contact tracers should be hired, hospital
capacity increased, and the protection of frontliners and communities enhanced.
She again scored the DoH for offering “alternative
interpretation” of health data in its failure to give accurate, up-to-date
report on the Covid-19 situation in the country.
